The Instructor

Martha Wilson is Canadian correspondent for the Japan Times (Tokyo) and
a Toronto-based freelance editor and writer.

When 19-year-old Simone Paris leaves Rupert, Ontario, for Mexico with
her art teacher, Otto, the reader knows she’s in for trouble. For
Simone, it’s a dream come true, the first day of a terrific new life.
For Otto, it’s just one more trip with one more girl. Not
surprisingly, Simone finds herself stuck in a Mexican backwater, trying
to convince herself that she’s on her way to becoming a real artist.

Ann Ireland unfolds this old story of pursued and pursuer with wry
humor and a close attention to detail. As Otto retreats, Simone
struggles to reclaim her life and, in doing so, finds her own voice. The
twosome’s journey to Mexico and back has all the predictable
consequences, but also a few unexpected ones.

Ireland handles her characters with skill and affection, and she tells
this story with confidence.